Self-closing faucet.



T. F. DUNPHY.

SELF CLOSING FAUCET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, I9l8.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

INVENTOR.

W! TNESS:

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. DUNPHY, OF WILLIAMSBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAYDENVILLE COMPANY, OF HAYDEN VILLE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SELF-CLOSING FAUGET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 246,089.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DUNPHY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Williamsburg, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Self-Closing Faucet, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in faucets of the type known as self-closing, that is to say, faucets which are opened against spring pressure and closed automatically by such pressure, and resides in cer tain, peculiar rockers or lifters for the spring-pressed valve-stem, and an operating 'plunger or push-pin for such lifters, all as hereinafter set forth.

with simple and inexpensive, yet strong, durable, and positive means for operatin said valve-stem to open the valve attache thereto, and to hold said valve open until such means is released.

A further object is to provide means, in a self-closing faucet, for opening the valve easily and quickly by the simple act of applying pressure with the thumb, finger, or hand to the top of the plunger.

Other objectsand advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a faucet which embodies a practical form of my invention, a portion of the hood or cap being broken out to disclose some of the parts.

within; Fig. 2, a central, vertical section through said faucet, the valve being closed; Fig. 3, a cross section through the pivotal connection between the lifters and valve; stem, and, Fig. 4:, an operative view, partly in elevation and partly in section showing the valve open and the operating elements disposed to effect the opening thereof. A portion of the discharge nozzle is broken 011' in Figs. 2 and 4, and the major portion of the inlet tube is broken off in Fig. 4:.

Similar reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Before describing the new features of the faucet I will briefly explain the old elements of the same, having reference to the accompanying drawings.

A casing 1 has an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 with a valve-seat 4 between. Tapped into the upper end of the casing 1 is a perforated plug 5 through and in which a valvestem 6 extends and operates. The valvestem 6 has a valve 7 for the valve-seat 4, such valve being provided with the customary packing 8. The valve-stem 6 extends below the valve 7 to form a guide or centering extension 9, such as is frequently provided to assist in maintaining the valve stem in line with the axial center of the valve-seat at all times. A spring 10 is interposed between the plug 5 and the valve 7 and normally retains the latter on its seat 4.

It is now seen that the valve 7 opens upwardly against the resiliency of the spring 10 and with the force of the water entering the casing through the inlet 2 to pass through the valve-seat 4 and out by way of the discharge 3; and that said spring closes said valve, when the force by which said spring is compressed in the operation of opening said valve is removed, thus shut- .ting 011 the flow of water through said casing. Obviously the spring 10 must be strong enough to close the valve 7 against the pressure of the water below.

A hood, dome, or cap 11 is mounted on the top of the casing 1 outside of the plug 5, such cap being screwed on at the bottom to said casing. There is a central passage 12 in and opening through the top of the cap 11, the upper portion of the walls of such passage being constricted to form an annular shoulder 13.

Passing now to the new operating means for the valve 7, or the means whereby the force of the spring 10 is overcome and said valve is removed from its seat 7, it will be observed that said means comprises a lifting element for the valve-stem 6, and an actuating element for said first-named element.

WVhile it is conceivable that the lifting element might consist of a single member, I prefer to employ a pair of such members, the same being in the form of rockers or rocker lifters 14:, which are pivotally 'connected at 15 with the upper terminal of the valve-stem 6, which terminal extends above the plug 5. Oneof the lifters 14 has a pair of cars 16 which embrace the upper terminal of the valve-stem 6, such terminal being flattened in the usual manner, and the other of said lifters has a similar pair of ears which embrace the first pair, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The pivot 15 passes through all of the ears 16 and the upper terminal of the valve-stem 6. The lifters 14 are upstanding members mounted on the top of the plug 5. The lugs 16 are at the bottom of the lifters 14 and extend inwardly. The lifters rock on the outer edges of their bases which constitute heels 17. The upper terminal of each lifter is forked at 18 to receive an anti-friction roller 19 mounted on a horizontal spindle 20 carried by the arms of the fork.

The parts are so proportioned that, when the valve 7 is pressed tightly onto its seat 4 by the spring 10, the undersides or the heels 17 of the lifters 14 rest on the top of the plug 5; and the constructionis such that,

when the upper ends of said lifters are forced apart or farther apart by any means, said lifters are rocked on said heels and the valve-stem 6 is elevated, against the resiliency of said spring, through the medium of the lugs 16 and pivot 15. Upon removing the spreading force from between the upper ends of the lifters 14, the spring 10 acts immediately to depress the valve-stem 6, said lifters being then rocked on the heels 17 back into their former positions. The heels 17 have a slight sliding movement, as well as a rocking movement, on the plug 5, since the up and down movement of the pivot 15 is in a straight line, such line being the axis of the valve-stem and valve. Obviously, as the pivot 15 is carried upwardly, the heels 17 are drawn nearer to each other, and as said pivot is carried downwardly, said heels are forced farther apart.

Some form of a wedge is preferred for separating or spreading the lifters 14, in-

asmuch as the same is simple, quick acting, in a large degree frictionless, especially so when the rollers 19 are provided, and particularly well adapted, not only to spread said lifters forcibly, but when released to be thrust' from between the lifters or returned to initial position by the action of the valve spring. In this case I employ a conical spreader 21 with which to obtain the desired wedging action. The spreader 21, small end down, is at the innerend of a vertical plunger or push-pin 22 arranged to slide in the passage 12. The small end of the spreader 21 is between the rollers 19 at all times, be ing prevented from rising out of such relationship with said rollers by the shoulder 13 against which the upper end of said spreader bears when the latter is in its most elevated position, said upper end of the spreader being larger in diameter than the plunger 22 and so forming a shoulder to correspond with said shoulder 13. The

plunger or push-pin 22. reciprocates in the smaller portion of the passage 12, and the upper portion of the spreader 21 operates in and out of the larger portion of said passage. A knob or push-button 23 is mounted on the upper terminal of the push-pin 22, which terminal protrudes from the upper end of the pass-age 12 and extends above the top of the cap 11 at all times, and secured to said terminal by means of a screw 24. At the bottom of the push-button 23 is a sleeve 25 which fits over and slides on an extension 26 at the top of the cap 11-, it being such extension in which the passage 12 is located. The sleeve 25 never leaves the extension 26,

and, when the push-button 23 is depressed,

an annular shoulder 27 within and at the top of said sleeve comes to rest on top of said extension and so limits the downward movement of the spreader members.

Normally the spring 10 maintains the valve 7 on its seat 4, and so disposes the lifters 14 that their rollers 19 pinch or squeeze the spreader upwardly against the shoulder 13, and cause the push-button 23 to occupy its high position, all as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the push-button 23 is in its normal position, only the bottom portion of the sleeve 25 engages the cap extension 26, and there is ample space within said sleeve between the upper edge of said extension and the shoulder 27 to permit said push-button to descend far enough to eflect the opening of the valve.

Now, therefore, when it is desired to open the valve 7, the push button 23 is pressed rocked outwardly on their heels 17 and elevate the attached valve-stem 6 and with it the valve 7, lifting the latter from the valve.-

seat 4-see Fig. 4. Upon the release of the push-button the spring 10 acts to return the parts tonormal or initial position and close the valve by forcing the same down again onto its seat.

comparatively little movement on the part of the reciprocable members of this device is required to efiect the opening and closing of the valve, and the action of the device is comparatively easy in spite of the stiff spring that is necessary to insure the closing of the valve against the water pressure.

The peripheries of the rolls 19 may be concaved or grooved, as shown at 28, in

order to center and guide the apex of the spreader 21 and distribute the wear.

Although I have shown and described a practical embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts of the faucet may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of What is claimed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and means having its fulcrum mounted to rock on but unattached to said fixed member and pivotally attached to said stem, of reciprocable means Within said cap and adapted, when depressed, to actuate said rocking means and stem against the resiliency of said spring, said reciprocable means being unattached to said rocking means.

2. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed memher through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and rocking and sliding means mounted on but unattached to said fived member and pivotally connected with said stem, of reciprocable means within said cap and adapted, when depressed,'to actuate said first-named means and stem against the resiliency of said spring, said reciprocable means being unattached to said rocking and sliding means.

3. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and rocking means mounted on said fixed member and operatively connected with said stem, of reciprocable wedging means, supported by said cap, to actuate said first-named means and stem against the resiliency of said spring.

4. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and members pivotally connected with said stem and mounted to rock on said fixed member, of a push-pin mounted to reciprocate in said cap, and provided with a Wedging member to spread apart and rock said first-named members and elevate said stem against the resiliency of said spring.

5. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and members pivotally connected with said stem and mounted to rock on said fixed member, of a push-pin arranged to reciprocate in said cap, said push-pin being provided at the inner end with a wedging member to spread apart and rock said first-named members and elevate said stem against the resiliency of said spring, and at the top with a pushbutton arranged to slide on said cap.

6. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and a pair of rocker lifters mounted on said fixed mem her and having inwardly extending lugs pivotally connected with said stem, of a push-pin arranged to reciprocate in said cap and provided at the base with a conical spreader for said lifters.

7 The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, a pair of rocker lifters mounted on said fixed member and having inwardlyextending lugs pivotally connected with said stem, and anti-friction members at the upper ends of said lifters, of a push-pin arranged to reciprocate in said cap and provided at the base with a conical spreader receivable between said anti-friction members.

8. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having a valve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fixed member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and a pair of rocker lifters mounted on said fixed member and having inwardly-extending lugs pivotally connected with said stem, of a push-pin arranged to reciprocate in said cap and provided at the base with a conical spreader for said lifters, and means to limit the upward movement of said push-pin.

9. The combination, in a self-closing faucet, with a casing having avalve-seat therein, a valve for such seat, a stem for said valve, a spring arranged normally to retain said valve in closed position, a fix d member through which said stem extends, a cap on said casing, and a pair of rocker liftersmounted on said fixed members and having inwardly-extending lugs pivotally connected with said stem, of a push-pin arranged to reciprocate in said cap and provided at the base with a Wedging spreader for said lifters, and a push-but- THOMAS P. DUNPHY.

Witnesses r V J. CLARK FOSTER CATI-IRYN V. MOLLOY.

TL. s] 7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. 0.? 

